Applicants should review the eligibility and submission requirements below and submit information (Including supporting attachments) via the online form by January 31, 2025. Submissions that emphasize specific proactive, unique approaches and activities as evidenced by leading indicators and examples of meaningful results will be viewed most favorably by the awards committee.

To be eligible for the 2025 Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award, the organization must:

• Be a facility or organization in the State of Michigan.
• Show consistent improvement or sustained performance in safety leadership/culture in the past five years as evidenced by leading indicators and related safety data.
• Have no OSHA/MIOSHA willful citations or worker fatalities in the past five years.
• Not have received the Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award in the previous five years.
• Have no evidence of breach of ethical or legal standards, laws, or practices that would potentially diminish the integrity of the award or damage the reputation of the Michigan Safety Conference.

Judging will be based on, but not limited to, the following criteria:

Leadership Commitment:

• CEO/President statement on company letterhead.
• Organization mission statement/core values/company objectives that references safety and health. There should be proof of periodic review and update over the five-year period.
• Evidence of financial commitment to safety.
• Organization reporting structure reflects safety role emphasis.
• Accomplishments/awards presented to the applicable workplace.
• Community service commitment and employee involvement in safety and health related professional associations.

Culture:

• Joint management/employee involvement.
• Problem solving and other cooperative efforts.
• Employee participation/engagement on safety committees, task forces, etc.
• Use of safety climate surveys or similar employee feedback.
• Related recognition of workplace excellence or awards in the past (can be non-safety related).

Innovation/Best Practices:

• Description(s) of specific development/implementation.
• Examples provided.

Safety Program Administration:

• Examples/summary/index of written safety and health program/manuals.
• Hazard prevention/control efforts which correct unsafe conditions in the system in a timely fashion.
• Job-safety analysis or other methods to identify safety and health risks in the workplace.
• Company education efforts and its impact to improved safety performance.

Petitions for the Harry L. McKinley Workplace Safety Leadership Award must be submitted using the form below no later than January 31, 2025.